The 10 Best Travel Routers of 2018

If you’re a person who is constantly on the move, a travel router can make your life a whole lot easier. People with busy lifestyles who are always on the move love the portability and convenience that these digital gadgets bring to their lives. The ability to share an internet connection between different devices makes having a travel really worth it. You might also be interested in our articles about the best wireless access point and the best wireless routers.

Instead of relying on cables, travel routers allows you to share a 4G/3G connection between devices. Wherever you have wireless internet connectivity, you’ll be able to use your wireless router.

Despite having so many travel router models available on the market, it’s no cookie-cutter solution. In order to get a travel router that truly works for you, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. By doing so, you’ll get a router is best suited to your specific needs.

1. Size

Being devices that are made for portability, travel routers are generally small. However, when it comes to travel routers, there is a range of sizes to choose from. Some travel routers are small enough to easily fit in your pockets. The super-small size is often at the expense of some features. The right size for you depends mainly on how you use it.

If you’re a person who doesn’t carry a bag around when you’re on the go and need a travel router to take with you, smaller routers will work best for you. However, if you’re a person who constantly carries a bag and doesn’t mind a slightly larger size in exchange for some portability, a bigger router is probably a better choice.

Before you buy your travel router, think of your different use scenarios to make sure you end up with one that works best for you.

2. Battery life

A travel router with an empty battery isn’t good for anyone. If you’re constantly on the move without a way to charge your router, a good battery life is essential. As a general rule, longer battery lives mean heaver travel routers. When choosing a new travel router, you should think about the number of hours that you need to use it for without charging.

By compromising a little bit of portability, you should be able to get a travel router with battery life that’ll get you through the day. Some people with extreme battery requirements might need more than that. If you’re one of those people, you should look for a model with very large or swappable batteries.

3. Coverage

This is a very important thing to consider when you’re buying a new travel router. The coverage area of a router is the area around the wireless in which you can have a decent connection. If you use your travel router to work with your team, this is a critical feature.

By having a coverage area that is large enough, people with different devices can connect to the travel router without having to be crammed around it. As a general rule, the larger the coverage area that a travel router has the better.

Even if you don’t need the extra range for your daily use, you never know when it might become handy. A travel router with a bigger coverage area is definitely the safest bet.

Now that you’re familiar with what makes a good travel router, it’s time to have a look at some of the best models that are currently available on the market.

Best Wireless Travel Router

This is a product that takes the wireless router concept to a whole new level. If you’re looking for a travel router that is reliable and features rich, this is a model that you’ll definitely love. In addition to the traditional travel router functionality, this gadget is very useful for transferring files.

Thanks to having an SD card and USB drive readers, this travel router is very convenient for transferring files. Transferring files between different devices is a breeze using this travel router. In addition to the data transfer functionalities, this travel router is excellent for media streaming on the go.

Working as a power bank for other portable devices is also an upside of this travel router. Having a large 6000mAh battery as well as USB ports makes this travel router the perfect tool for charging on the go. Instead of needing a power bank to charge, this travel router works as a power bank itself.

In terms of size, this travel router is definitely small. However, if you’re looking for an ultra-portable that is as light and thin as possible, there are definitely more portable options that this one. What this model lack in portability is made up with the awesome functionalities though, so there isn’t much to complain about here.

Another thing that we really liked about this model visits design. The sleek black color combined with the blue LED light around the power button gives an awesome effect that makes this travel router look really good.

If you’re looking for a travel router that can easily fit into your pocket, this is hands down one of the best available options on the market. When it comes to high-quality wireless routers, TP-Link is definitely a name with a strong reputation.

In terms of performance, this travel router is really fast. Having a 300Mbps connection make things like streaming video or playing online games as smooth as possible. If you’re looking for a travel router that’ll help you make the best use of your connection speed, this one won’t fail to impress.

If you have a Chromecast and plan on using it with this travel router, you’ll be thrilled to know that the two devices are compatible. Having a travel router that is compatible with Chromecast allows for a much smoother experience when you’re using them together.

As for the design, there was nothing. Particularly mind-blowing about this model. While the colors are definitely not bad, there sure isn’t something outstanding about them. If the look of your travel router is something that you consider a priority, you’ll definitely find other models with more interesting designs.

The level of security that this model provides is also pretty decent. Pre-encrypting allows for a much more secure data transferring process when compared to travel router models that don’t support this functionality.

Product highlights:

Compact size

Compatible with Chromecast

Pre-encryption functions

Fast connection speed

Best Buy Travel Router

Some prioritize performance and battery life more than anything in a travel router. If you’re one of those people, this is a travel router that will definitely appeal to you. The awesome features, great performance as well as an insane battery life make this travel router a great choice.

The first thing that you’ll notice about this router is the fact that it isn’t slim. With such a bulky rectangular design, you’ll have a hard time if you ever try to place this thing in your pocket. However, what this travel router lacks in portability is well-compensated for by the performance.

With a 10400mAh capacity, the battery of this travel router is simply behemoth. If you’re not a tech-savvy person, knowing that this is enough to charge a typical iPhone up to 3 times will help you imagine how big the battery is. If you’re looking for a travel router that doubles as a power bank, this is the best that you’ll ever find.

Thanks to the new core technology that is used with this model, you can easily plug multiple USB devices simultaneously. There is a reason this call this travel router the titan!

One thing that you should keep in mind though before you buy this travel router is that it isn’t a hotspot. If you’re looking for a hotspot, their other models that’ll do the trick.

This is another travel router with an excellent balance between portability and features. With such a compact design and being able to adapt to covering a relatively large area, this is one travel router to keep an eye on.

For obvious reasons, most travel routers have an internal antenna. It goes without saying that being on the go with a device that has an external antenna is more difficult. By giving you the option to install an external antenna, this travel router gives you better range options without compromising portability.

If you’re not keen on using an external antenna, this travel router has a model that offers an internal antenna only. Being 4G USB modem compatible means that you can enjoy internet connections at very fast speeds with this travel router.

The multiple charging options that this router has made using it on the go even more convenient. You can charge the router using the USB or the Power over Ethernet (PoE) cable. You should be careful though that plugging both the PoE and the USB cable at the same time can instantly fry the router.

Another thing that we really liked about this model is its software. Having such a user-friendly interface make using the software for adjusting the router’s setting as easy as possible.

Product highlights:

Compact design

External antenna option available

Multiple charging options

Decent range

Best Travel WiFi Router

This is a travel router that is worthy of being your travel companion. When you’re always on the go, you need a travel router that is able to adapt to different usage scenarios. If you’re looking for a travel router that you could count on in different situations, this is a model that is worth checking out.

The first thing that you’ll notice about this model is the fact that it has dual antennas. To make it clear, this is not a pocket-friendly travel router. Carrying this travel router with you in your bag wherever you go won’t be a problem. However, if you’re looking for a model that you can comfortably carry in your pocket, this isn’t it.

To make carrying this travel router in your bag easy despite having the antennas, the can easily be rotated or removed from the router. When you’re not using the router, storing it or carrying it around won’t be a problem at all.

Being environmentally responsible is something that we don’t see on many similar products. As this travel router uses environmentally-friendly materials, you can buy it with the comfort of knowing that you’re not doing the environment any harm.

Easy installation is definitely a good thing about this router. The entire process of setting the wireless up is extremely easy and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.

A compact size, elegant design, and fulfilling 3 different functions. What more could you want from a travel router? If you’re looking for a travel router that combines portability with flexible functionality, you should definitely check out this model.

When we say compact, we mean really small. This travel router is barely larger than a credit card. Considering the fact that this is a device that is made to be carried around constantly, this is definitely a good thing. Sliding that thing into your pocket and carrying it around is as easy as it gets.

By being to fulfill the roles of a router, an access point, and a client bridge, this gadget is definitely a great bang for the buck. If you’re looking to get a single device that functions as three, this model has what you’re looking for.

On the front of the router, you have 4 LED lights that tell you about the status of the router. Just like on a full-sized router, you can know about everything from the power connection to the LAN just by looking at those LED lights.

Asides from being a decent quality travel router with a solid performance, there are no out of the ordinary features. If you’re looking for a travel router that gets the job done without distracting you with unnecessary features, this is the one.

People who travel a lot know that hotel WiFi networks are not often that reliable. If you’re a person who stays in hotels frequently and wants a travel router that you can rely on for providing you with reliable internet connectivity, this is a model that is worth considering.

Being powered by plugging it into a power socket make this travel router a poor choice if you plan on using it on the go. However, once you’re near a power plug, it’s a completely different story. Plugging your router into a wall power socket has two main advantages.

The first one is the fact that you don’t have to worry about charging it. As it’s already connected to a power source, this travel router can keep going for as long as you need it to. No more of having to wait until your travel router has enough juice so you could actually use it.

Another great thing about this model that is enhanced by its ability to be plugged into a power socket is the coverage. The excellent range combined with a power socket at the right height can produce exceptional coverage results.

To make using this travel router as convenient as possible wherever you go, it comes with interchangeable power plugs that work in North America, Europe, and the UK. No matter where you go, you’ll have the right plug to keep you connected.

This is hands-down one of the best travel routers that are currently available on the market. If you’re looking for a travel router that’ll keep you connected to your hotel stays and on the go, this is one very solid choice.

When you’re on the go, the 6000mAh battery that this travel router has can keep you going for a very long time. In addition to keeping you connected, you can also use it as a power bank, which is definitely a huge upside.

If you’re a person who is frequently on the go, you’ll appreciate having some extra power to charge your gadgets. Once you get to your hotel -or any other place with a power plug, you can easily plug in the router itself and use it while it’s plugged.

Unlike many other travel routers which have a plug, this model has foldable charging pins. Once you’re done using them, you can fold the pins so you can easily store or pack the router. With such a smart design, you get the perks of having those pins without any of the downsides.

One of the features that make this travel router really stand out is the fact that it has a dedicated mobile app. By downloading the application on your iOS or Android device, you can easily control the router’s functionality on the go without needing a laptop.

This is hands down the smallest travel router that we have on our list. By small, we mean really small. This thing won’t just easily fit in your pocket, you could as well forget that it’s even there.

Portability is a major issue in travel routers. Being so small, this model has a strong advantage. However, despite is super-small size, this model has a surprisingly good performance and features.

Using this model, you can easily convert and wired network into a wireless one or even create your own. You can also create your own secure Wi-Fi network from an existing one. If you stay in hotels a lot, this security feature is simply a must-have.

Thanks to having a USB port, you can easily connect this travel router to most USB devices. In addition to that, it has lots of data transferring capabilities that are very useful for transferring files without using a computer.

To transfer files from a USB drive to any other device, all you have to do is plug in the USB drive and connect the other device to the router’s network and you’re ready to start transferring files.

The last product on our list is another TP-Link router that combines portability and performance. If you’re looking for a travel router that’s portable and capable at the same time, this model is definitely worth considering.

Asides from the great build quality that TP-Link products are known for, this model has excellent connection speeds. As it supports 3G and 4G networks, you’ll be able to surf the internet at very high speeds.

By supporting such high data speeds, this router allows you to make the most out of your internet speed. For LAN networks, this router supports a 100Mbps data transfer, which is definitely fast enough.

Another thing that we really like about this model is the fact that it’s really easy to set up. The entire process from the unboxing to getting the device up-and-running is pretty straightforward. If you want a travel router that’s easy to work with, this model is definitely it.